More

Jury Finds Blogger Innocent Of Threatening Connecticut Lawmakers

FILE- In this Dec. 4, 2009 file photo, blogger Hal Turner arrives at court in the Brooklyn borough of New York to face criminal charges for making threats against three federal judges in Illinois in retaliation for a ruling supporting gun control. Jury selection began in Hartford, Conn., Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2011 for Turner, who is on trial for urging people to take up arms against state lawmakers in Connecticut in 2009. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow, File)

Hal Turner (Jason DeCrow/AP Photo_

The Hartford Superior Court jury considering the case of New Jersey blogger Hal Turner has found him not guilty on both counts.

Turner was accused of “inciting injury to persons” and second-degree threatening in connection with comments on his blog about Connecticut lawmakers.

Commenting on a proposal in the General Assembly two years ago that would have given lay members of Catholic parishes more control over parish finances, Turner said the bill violated separation of church and state. And he said Catholics should “take up arms” and promised to post the home addresses of lawmakers.

Turner told the jury that he’s being prosecuted for exercising his free speech right. He said he never intended for anyone to get hurt, but the prosecutor argued that Turner’s targets were truly concerned about their safety.

When the jury came back with a verdict of not guilty on both counts, Turner’s family gasped and hugged.